The Scientist
by Loptr
Summary: There’s a little den in a store room in Antarctica, it has a couch and an impressive supply of trashy romance novels and a sleeping Canadian named Rodney. Elizabeth waits for him to wake up by reading a book...


The Scientist

Estellio

Rating: Pg-13 (T)

Pairing: Mcweir.

Archiving: NOT WITHOUT PERMISSION! Email me and I'll be more than happy to give it to you but I prefer to know where it is.

Warnings: None, eh…maybe a trasy romance novel being played with. That's all I can think of.

Summary: There's a little den in a store room in Antarctica, it has a couch and an impressive supply of trashy romance novels and a sleeping Canadian named Rodney. Elizabeth waits for him to wake up by reading a book…

_**IOIOIO**_

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE TEST RESULTS CAME BACK NEGATIVE!" As Elizabeth walked into the infirmary she smiled. It seemed that every time she came across Rodney he was shouting at someone. At least he never shouted at her.

"Do ya want me to test you again, Dr. McKay?" A distinctly Scottish accent asked as Weir rounded the corner to see a furious Rodney and a rather exasperated Carson. The poor Scott really hated it when people were mad at him. He was just so endearing you'd want to just scoop him up and cuddle him like a big Scottish teddy bear. Elizabeth always had a soft spot for Scotts, maybe it was the fact she watched way to much Highlander in college and had a crush on the Sean Connery Bond?

"Dr. Weir." The relief in Beckett's voice was enough to make her smile and turning her charm to maximum she approached the two Doctors.

"Gentlemen, problem?"

"NO!" Rodney snapped and leapt down off the bed, stalking off.

"I'm sorry, Doctor, he jus' found out his test results for the Ancient Gene was negative. He didn't take it as graciously as I had hoped. Was there anything I could do fer ya?"

"Have the results of my own test come back yet, Carson?"

"Aye, I'm afraid I've got no better news fer ya. I'm sorry. But, if it makes yeh feel any better, I've been working on a way to introduce the gene artificially through the use of a mouse retrovirus. So far the tests have been unsuccessful but I'm working on it and gettin' closer each day." He said with an optimism that made her smile all the more.

"Keep up the work, Carson, I have every faith in you but I better go tend to our disgruntled Canadian."

"Aye, refer him back here on the double so tha' I can remove that stick up his arse." Elizabeth laughed, waving Carson off as she left. She knew exactly where Rodney would be. His lab would be too obvious, as would the mess and he was more likely to be bothered there. He hated his quarters, Elizabeth knew that, which left only one place to go…the one place in Antarctica that they shared, _their_ spot.

It was almost strange how they'd bonded, from day one she'd liked Rodney and if she wasn't mistaken, he liked her. Which was rare considering the only other two people he liked on the base of Dr. Beckett and that Czech…what was his name…Damn. She could never remember it…and he was always shouting at them. He never shouted at her, never on purpose. Sometimes he got carried away, yes, and sometimes if she bothered him he'd get narky but when he turned around and saw who it was he'd always put on that childlike, endearing smile.

"Rodney?" The scientist was sitting in the storeroom with his back turned to her. The storeroom held non-essential supplies but that wasn't what made this room special. What made the room special was the brown and orange flecked couch tucked in an alcove of boxes with two large woolly blankets and a stack of books. Granted, half the books were trashy mills and boon or silhouette where the fragile blonde fell helplessly in love with the chisel jawed beau. She had read a few…more the shame on her, but it was lonely in Atlantis and she had finished reading her Wilbur Smith long ago.

Rodney was curled up on the 60's reject couch, fast asleep. Elizabeth took the time to watch him. One of his nostrils made a strange sound as he breathed but the steady rhythm was comforting. She sat down on the couch next to him and picked up one of the novels.

"_The Scientist._"

_How appropriate_, she thought as she flipped it open.

"_Dr. Andrews was hot property, and no one was more equipped to handle him that famed American diplomat Elizabeth Schweppes. But as the flames climb higher and higher, could this little experiment of Andrews spiral out of control and the war isn't the only danger zone in Elizabeth's life, it's the bedroom."_

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, could this be any more corny? She was ashamed to share a name with the woman!

Rodney stirred behind her, mumbling something in his sleep and shifting. He didn't look like he was going to be moving for a while so Elizabeth sat back and began to read.

About an hour later:

Rodney stirred from his uneasy sleep slowly. He could feel a weight on the couch and opening one eyes he saw Elizabeth sitting next to him, reading. Whatever it was it was making her blush profusely. Her breath was coming in short gasps and her cheeks were an alluring shade of red. She was holding a pinkish book and Rodney recognised the cover as belonging to one of the books that littered the floor. Whoever had set up this little den had collected quite an impressive stash but considering the layer of dust that had begun to cover everything, it had been abandoned at the shift change. Elizabeth had introduced him to the place after a week here, she and Rodney had just been walking down the hallway and every second person was stopping either him or her so she dragged him into the storeroom. He was shocked at first, thinking the _complete _wrong thing but she explained that a bunch of privates who were stationed there a month previously had met up here every Thursday to exchange stories and novels and just chat in private. When they left, one of the privates who'd she befriended, told her about the place. She came she when she wanted to be alone or just to relax.

She had her own stash of books piling up on a crate of engine parts as well as some reports, Rodney's stash of books was on top of a crate of flares and consisted mainly of sci-fi books, science journals and Canadian Hockey Magazines.

"I thought you said that you don't read books like that." The book was instantly dropped to the floor."

"Rodney! I didn't know you were awake!"

"I just woke up. So, what's up?" Elizabeth tried to calm her breathing, and covered her cheeks in her hands.

"It's really hot in here, did you turn the heating up?" Rodney gave her a lopsided smile.

"This is a storeroom, it _has_ no heating. Hence these." He pulled out a blanket and wrapped it around himself. "How can you be warm, this is Antarctica! Unless it had something to do with what you're reading." Before Elizabeth realised what he was doing, Rodney was on the floor and grasping the book.

"The scientist? I'm flattered!"

"RODNEY!" She shouted, making a dive for the book. "GIVE IT BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!" he just laughed.

"How can you read this, listen.

_Dr. Andrews swept through the door a confident swagger in his walk._

"_Miss. Schweppes?" His voice was surprised but she could see in the self-satisfied glint in his eyes that he had been expecting her._

"_Cut the crap, you know why I'm here…_

"RODNEY! The guy's name is Rodney? UMPH! GERROF!"

"Give me the book! GIVE!" Elizabeth clambered over Rodney, grabbing the book but Rodney's grip was like iron.

"Hold on, this bares further inspection." He said, twisting out of her grasp and pulling open another random page. "Oh, now _this_ is interesting." Rodney leapt over the crates as he read aloud.

"Cancel all calls, Martha. The Doctor and I will be engaged for quite a while. This is important Martha. Short of full scale war I want no interruptions." The young Korean nodded, turning to her computer.

"Of course Miss. Schweppes." She said as Andrew's entered. She beckoned him into her office and no sooner had the doors closed than he was upon her. His lips sealing over hers, masking her cry of 'Rodney!'

He twisted out of Weir's grip as she got his arm and with agility the belayed his size he leapt on top of two more crates.

"How can you read this stuff?"

"GIVE IT BACK! RODNEY! THAT'S AN ORDER!"

"Hold on, I haven't gotten to the best part.

_The very smell of him was male and she found herself burying her head in the crook of his neck, breathing him in deeply. When she kissed him there, marking him with a love bite he couldn't help but gasp her name._

"_Eliz…"_

"Elizabeth?" Rodney sat stunned, for several moments, giving Weir enough time to fully body tackle him to the floor and wrestle the book off him.

"GOT IT!" She roared triumphantly but Rodney wasn't about to relinquish his prize _just_ yet. Sitting up with her, he carried her back and pulled the book off her.

"No, I want to read this." He flicked the book back open as Elizabeth pushed him back onto the floor.

"NO! RODNEY! NO!"

"Listen to this,"

_Rodney Andrews had had his share of woman but her passion was like a wildfire, powerful and untamed. It could consume him as she moved above_…

"BAD RODNEY! BAD!" She snatched the book, belting him several times over the head.

"HEY!" He shielded his head from the raining blows, Elizabeth clipped him in the ear and he reached out, grabbing the flailing limb, causing them both to fall back, panting heavily. Rodney lay on top of her, his face inches away, the tips of their nose barely touching.

"Rodney?" She whispered, yearning to close that gap between them. He closed his eyes as her breath ghosted across his cheek.

"Elizabeth." She could hear the need in his voice, feel it against her hip.

"We really shouldn't." The door opened and they both froze, looking up. The unnamed Czech stood at the doorway, his eyes wide behind his circular glasses.

"I'm interrupting. I will go now." He turned on heel and marched out. Elizabeth's shock kept her in place for several moments before Rodney burst out laughing.

"Priceless! The look on your face!" She rolled him off her, the moment spoiled.

"You're a bad man, Dr. McKay. A bad man." The wounded look that crossed Rodney's face was enough to break her heart, it was a cross between the puppy dog eyes and the '_I'm such a fragile helpless little boy_' look that nailed her every time. "I'll…see you tomorrow at breakfast Rodney, okay?" She bent down and kissed his cheek.

"Until tomorrow, Elizabeth." He whispered as she left, realising that he had the book in his hand. With a small smile on his lips he sat down and began to read it.

She hadn't heard the last of this, not by a long shot.


End file.
